Hearty Beef Stew or Oxtail Stew

 

Beef Stew (photo by JenniferW)

Ingredients

Main

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 kg beef cubes or top sirloin steak (diced)
  (or 1–1.3 kg oxtail for a richer broth)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 medium sweet or brown onion (halved, then quartered)

• 2 large carrots (peeled and cut “rangiri” style – rotate and chop into chunks)

• 4–6 baby celery stalks (diced)

• 3 cloves garlic (minced)

• 4–8 white button mushrooms (halved, optional)

• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour or corn flour

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• ½ cup dry red wine (or sake, if preferred)

• 1 L beef stock

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• 2–4 potatoes (halved)

To finish

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)

Method

1. Sauté the beef
   Heat olive oil in a large stainless steel pot or Instant Pot (on sauté mode).
   Season the beef cubes with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Sear until browned on all sides (about 6–8 minutes). Remove and set aside.

2. Sauté the aromatics
   In the same pot, add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.

3. Add garlic and mushrooms
   Stir in garlic and mushrooms (if using). Cook until tender and slightly browned, another 3–4 minutes.

4. Thicken the base
   Add flour and tomato paste. Stir and cook for about 1 minute until slightly browned.

5. Deglaze the pot
   Pour in the red wine or sake. Stir and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

6. Simmer the stew
   Return the seared beef to the pot. Add beef stock, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.

   • Stovetop: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 50–60 minutes, or until beef is very tender.

   • Instant Pot: Set to Pressure Cook on high for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. 

7. Add potatoes
   Stir in potatoes and continue to simmer.

   • Stovetop: Simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the stew is thickened.

   • Instant Pot: Pressure Cook for 5 minutes on high, then quick release.

8. Finish and serve
   Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tip

This stew tastes even better the next day and it is perfect for meal prep or cozy leftovers!

Oxtail Stew with basmati rice
(photo by JenniferW)

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